Microbial community structure and diversity attached to the periphyton in different urban aquatic habitats.

Periphyton is a complex community composed of diverse prokaryotes and eukaryotes; understanding the characteristics of microbial communities within periphyton becomes crucial for biogeochemical cycles and energy dynamics of aquatic ecosystems. To further elucidate the community characteristics of periphyton across varied aquatic habitats, including unpolluted ecologically restored lakes, aquaculture ponds, and areas adjacent to domestic and industrial wastewater treatment plant outfalls, we explored the composition and diversity of prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities in periphyton by employing Illumina MiSeq sequencing. Our findings indicated that the prokaryotic communities were predominantly composed of Proteobacteria (40.92%), Bacteroidota (21.01%), and Cyanobacteria (10.12%), whereas the eukaryotic communities were primarily characterized by the dominance of Bacillariophyta (24.09%), Chlorophyta (20.83%), and Annelida (15.31%). Notably, Flavobacterium emerged as a widely distributed genus among the prokaryotic community. Unclassified_Tobrilidae exhibited higher abundance in unpolluted ecologically restored lakes. Chaetogaster and Nais were enriched in aquaculture ponds and domestic wastewater treatment plant outfall area, respectively, while Surirella and Gomphonema dominated industrial sewage treatment plant outfall area. The alpha diversity of eukaryotes was higher in unpolluted ecologically restored lakes. pH and nitrogen content ( NO 2 - - N , NO 3 - - N , and TN) significantly explained the variations for prokaryotic and eukaryotic community structures, respectively. Eukaryotic communities exhibited a more pronounced response to habitat variations compared to prokaryotic communities. Moreover, the association networks revealed an intensive positive correlation between dominant Bacillariophyta and Bacteroidota. This study provided useful data for identifying keystone species and understanding their ecological functions.

Bacterioplankton diversity and potential health risks in volcanic lakes: A study from Arxan Geopark, China.

Bacterioplankton play a vital role in maintaining the functions and services of lake ecosystems. Understanding the diversity and distribution patterns of bacterioplankton, particularly the presence of potential pathogenic bacterial communities, is crucial for safeguarding human health. In this study, we employed 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to investigate the diversity and geographic patterns of bacterioplankton communities, as well as potential pathogens, in eight volcanic lakes located in the Arxan UNESCO Global Geopark (in the Greater Khingan Mountains of China). Our results revealed that the bacterial communities primarily comprised Bacteroidota (45.3%), Proteobacteria (33.1%), and Actinobacteria (9.0%) at the phylum level. At the genus level, prominent taxa included Flavobacterium (31.5%), Acinetobacter (11.0%), Chryseobacterium (7.9%), and CL500-29 marine group (5.6%). Among the bacterioplankton, we identified 34 pathogen genera (165 amplicon sequence variants [ASVs]), with Acinetobacter (59.8%), Rahnella (18.3%), Brevundimonas (9.6%), and Pseudomonas (5.8%) being the most dominant. Our findings demonstrated distinct biogeographic patterns in the bacterial communities at the local scale, driven by a combination of dispersal limitation and environmental factors influenced by human activities. Notably, approximately 15.3% of the bacterioplankton reads in the Arxan lakes were identified as potential pathogens, underscoring the potential risks to public health in these popular tourist destinations. This study provides the first comprehensive insight into the diversity of bacterioplankton in mountain lake ecosystems affected by high tourist activity, laying the groundwork for effective control measures against bacterial pathogens.

Sediment Bacteria in the Alpine Lake Sayram: Vertical Patterns in Community Composition.

Bacterial communities inhabiting alpine lakes are essential to our understanding of ecosystem processes in a changing climate, but little has been reported about the vertical patterns of sediment bacterial communities in alpine lakes. To address this knowledge gap, we collected the 100 cm long sediment core from the center of Lake Sayram, the largest alpine lake in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous area, China, and used 16S rRNA gene-targeted amplicon sequencing to examine the bacterial populations. The results showed that bacterial diversity, as estimated by the Shannon index, was highest at the surface (6.9849 at 0-4 cm) and gradually decreased with depth up to 3.9983 at 68-72 cm, and then increased to 5.0927 at 96-100 cm. A total of 56 different phyla and 1204 distinct genera were observed in the sediment core of Lake Sayram. The bacterial community structure in the sediment samples from the various layers was dissimilar. The most abundant phyla in alpine Lake Sayram were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Planctomycetes, accounting for 73%, 6%, and 4% of the total reads, respectively; the most abundant genera were Acinetobacter, Hydrogenophaga, and Pseudomonas, accounting for 18%, 12%, and 8% of the total reads, respectively. Furthermore, the relative abundance of Acinetobacter increased with sediment depth, while the relative abundance of Hydrogenophaga and Pseudomonas decreased with sediment depth. Our findings indicated that the nitrate-reducing bacteria (Acinetobacter, Hydrogenophaga, and Pseudomonas) may be prevalent in the sediment core of Lake Sayram. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that carbonate and total organic carbon (TOC) may be the main environmental factors affecting the vertical patterns of bacterial community composition (BCC) in the sediment of Lake Sayram. This work significantly contributes to our understanding of the BCC of sediments from alpine lakes in arid and semiarid regions.

Bacterial community composition of the sediment in Sayram Lake, an alpine lake in the arid northwest of China.

Sediment bacterial communities play a critical role in biogeochemical cycling in alpine lake ecosystems. However, little is known about the sediment microbial communities in these lakes. In this study, the bacterial community composition (BCC) and their relationships with environmental factors of the sediment in Sayram Lake, the largest alpine and cold-water inland lake, China was analyzed using Illumina MiSeq sequencing. In total, we obtained 618,271 high quality sequences. The results showed that the bacterial communities with 30 phyla and 546 genera, were spread out among the 5 furface sediment samples, respectively. The communities were dominated by Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Planctomycetes, Gemmatimonadetes, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia and Bacteroidetes, accounting for 48.15 ± 8.10%, 11.23 ± 3.10%, 8.42 ± 2.15%, 8.37 ± 2.26%, 7.40 ± 3.05%, 5.62 ± 1.25%, 4.18 ± 2.12% and 2.24 ± 1.10% of the total reads, respectively. At the genus level, the communities were dominated by Aquabacterium, Pseudomonas, Woeseia, MND1, Ignavibacterium and Truepera, accounting for 7.89% ± 8.24%, 2.32% ± 1.05%, 2.14% ± 0.94%, 2% ± 1.22%, 0.94% ± 0.14% and 0.80% ± 0.14% of the total reads, respectively. Statistical analyses showed the similarity of the sediment bacterial communities at our field sites was considerably low, far below 35%, and total organic carbon (TOC) was the dominant environmental factor affecting the spatial changes of BCC in the sediment. Thus, this study greatly improving our understanding of the microbial ecology of alpine lake in the arid and semi-arid ecosystems today so seriously threatened.

The spatial distribution and characterization of phosphorus and nitrogen in a water-carrying lake: a case study of Lake Jiaogang, China.

The sources of P and N in water-carrying lakes include exogenous input and endogenous release. However, the influence of pollution from different sources on the dynamic distribution of N and P at the sediment-water interface in water-carrying lakes remains unclear. The objectives of this study were to investigate the differences in dynamic distribution characteristics of P compounds and N elements in Lake Jiaogang, a major water-carrying lake in eastern China. Four functional regions with different types of pollutant sources and different kinds of aquatic plants were selected to study the distribution of total P (TP), inorganic P, organic P, ammonium (NH4+-N), and nitrate (NO3--N). The results revealed that regions with internal-source pollutants contained the highest concentration of TP, Ca-P, and Fe-P with high concentrations. L-P, Al-P, mostly organic P, and soluble reactive phosphorous (SRP), the region with internal-source pollutants were lower than that with the imported-source pollutant. The concentration of dissolved NH4+-N showed high in regions with imported-source pollutants, however, in regions with internal-source pollutants, the dissolved NO3--N was with the highest concentration. Overall, P from upstream was still dominant in the sediments despite uptake by the aquatic plants. SRP showed high concentration in regions with imported-source pollutants due to the imported pollution and the improved bioavailability by plant root exudates. Feces and feed residues from aquatic livestock breeding resulted in the highest concentration of TN, NH4+-N, and dissolved NO3--N in the sediments of the region with internal-source pollutants. High concentrations of dissolved NH4+-N were due to the input of N from imported source pollutants. This study provides insights into the contributions of P and N to the eutrophication of the water-carrying lake.

Spatiotemporal pattern and biodegradation process of amino acids in the large shallow eutrophic lake Taihu, China.

Organic matter (OM) and nutrient inputs generated by human activities promote the development of eutrophication. Amino acids (AAs) are an integral part of OM, and studying their patterns will provide new insights into organic matter dynamics in lakes. Four seasonal field campaigns in eutrophic Lake Taihu and a 14-day phytoplankton degradation experiment were carried out to determine the variability and bioavailability of amino acids. The quality and quantity of AAs varied among different seasons and lake types. The concentrations of particulate (PAA) and dissolved (DAA) AA were 14.67 ± 13.25 µM (carbon- and nitrogen-normalized PAA yields: PAA-C%, 23.8 ± 13.5%; PAA-N%, 22.8 ± 2.1%) and 2.95 ± 1.05 µM (carbon- and nitrogen-normalized DAA yields: DAA-C%, 3.7 ± 1.1%; DAA-N%, 12.6 ± 11.2%) in Lake Taihu, respectively. PAA and DAA showed high mean values in the algal-dominated northern area in summer. Glutamic acid (Glu), alanine (Ala), aspartic acid (Asp) and glycine (Gly) contributed to nearly 50% of PAA, while Gly, accounting for 17-24%, was the main component of DAA. During a 14-day phytoplankton degradation period, 98% of Chl a, 63% of POC and 92% of PAA were removed in the dark treatment, and a more obvious downward trend was recorded than in the light treatment. Principal component analysis of the indices of PAA indicated that Glu, arginine (Arg) and histidine (His) were dominant on day 0, while Gly and lysine (Lys) were dominant on day 14. There were notable serine + threonine (Ser + Thr [mol%]) and aspartic acid/glycine ratio (Asp/Gly [mol%]) end-member divisions among different organic matter sources. DAA had higher Ser + Thr [mol%] and lower Asp/Gly [mol%] values than PAA. The amino acid degradation index (DI) of PAA and DAA was 0.97 ± 0.28 and - 1.04 ± 0.43, respectively. The fresh DAA from the algae degradation incubation also had DI values similar to those of field DAA in the northern algae-dominated lake region. Amino acid parameters (AA-C%, DI values, Ser + Thr [mol%] and Asp/Gly [mol%]) were calculated to indicate the source, freshness and bioavailability of organic matter in eutrophic shallow Lake Taihu.

Interactions of heavy metal elements across sediment-water interface in Lake Jiaogang.

Heavy metal pollution in lake systems has arisen plenty of threats for public health because of its high toxicity, persistence, and bioaccumulation. Whereas heavy metals are inextricably linked with bioavailability in pore water and overlying water. Lake Jiaogang is classified as an important water-carrying lake situated in the northern part of the Anhui Province China. In recent years, water quality in this lake declined due to increasing fishery aquaculture, livestock, and tourism. This study aims to bring insight into the interactions of heavy metal elements across sediment-water interface in Lake Jiaogang. Four representative regions were selected, more than ten heavy metals were chosen to quantify by the Community Bureau of Reference, diffusive gradient in thin-film (DGT), and high-resolution pore water equilibrators. The results showed that most heavy metals corresponded with the reducible fraction, acid-soluble fraction, and oxidizable fraction in the Eastern area (sample 3#) and aquaculture area (sample 4#) were higher than that of emergent plant area (sample 1#), and floating plant area (sample 2#). The average fluxes of heavy metals (except Ni and Zn in sample 3#, F value > 0 pg/cm2/d) in the four sampling sites were observed in the lower reaches (F value < 0 pg/cm2/d). The vertical distribution of heavy metals was extracted by DGT, such as As (exclude 2#), Co, Fe, Mn, and Zn (contain 4#) showed an increased content with increasing depth in the four sampling sites. In the pore and overlying water, concentrations of heavy metals from the sample 3# and 4# were higher than those of sample 1# and 2#. Heavy metal pollution in anthropogenic activity areas was higher than those in areas with ecological vegetation, and risk control in this area should be strengthened.

Field observation and simulation experiments on nutrient transformation during phytoplankton-derived particulate matter deposition.

Phytoplankton-derived particulate matter (PPM) is the active component of the solid particles in eutrophic shallow lakes. To date, understanding of the degradation characteristics of PPM and the effect of degradation products on nutrient cycling in water are limited. In this study, field observations and simulation experiments were carried out to elaborate the nutrient transformation during phytoplankton-derived particulate matter deposition in the cyanobacterial blooming area of Lake Taihu. Results showed that the deposition of the PPM was strongly facilitated by the cyanobacterial bloom and the sediment resuspension. The main variation characteristics of phosphorus (P) species in PPM are shown in the increase of Ortho-P and the decrease of biodegradable phosphorus (Poly-P, DNA-P) during the deposition of PPM. The degradation of the PPM resulted in the release of dissolved nitrogen (N) and P to the water body. The conversion of easily degradable particulate N and P in the PPM to ammonium nitrogen (NH3-N) and soluble reactive phosphorus were believed to be responsible for this phenomenon. The cycling of nutrients and the cyanobacterial bloom status might therefore be altered because of the deposition and degradation of PPM. More considerations should be given on this process in future works.

Degradation Characteristics of Phosphorus in Phytoplankton-Derived Particulate Organic Matter and Its Effects on the Growth of Phosphorus-Deficient Microcystis aeruginosa in Lake Taihu.

To illustrate the contribution of phytoplankton-derived particulate organic matter (PPOM) to endogenous phosphorus (P) cycling and its effects on cyanobacteria blooms, PPOM characteristics, the degradation mechanism, and the growth of P-deficient Microcystis aeruginosa were studied in Lake Taihu. Results showed that PPOM is the most important P pool in the water column during cyanobacteria bloom, accounting for more than 80% of the total P (TP) in the water. During PPOM degradation, the particulate orthophosphate (Ortho-P) is the main species of P release from PPOM in the early degradation stage. The variations of polyphosphate (Poly-P) and phosphodiesters (Diester-P) contents were most significant, which were degraded completely within four days and eight days. Cell density and growth rate of M. aeruginosa using PPOM as P source were similar to those growing on Na2HPO4. The above results show that P in PPOM can be converted into available P by degradation, thus promoting the growth of M. aeruginosa. Therefore, the contribution of P release from PPOM degradation needs to be paid attention to in lake eutrophication control in the future.

Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Particulate Phosphorus and Their Correlation with Environmental Factors in a Shallow Eutrophic Chinese Lake (Lake Taihu).

Spatial and seasonal variations of particulate phosphorus (PP) in a large shallow, eutrophic Lake Taihu with different ecotypes (including a phytoplankton-dominated zone, lake center zone, estuary zone and macrophyte-dominated zone) were investigated. The results showed that particulate organic phosphorus (POP) was the dominant form of PP (>88.0%). The concentration of POP showed higher levels in the bloom-sensitive northwestern zone (phytoplankton-dominated zone and estuary zone) during warm seasons, phytoplankton blooms and input of exogenous particulate matter were the main sources of POP in the lake water. Based on 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (31P NMR) analysis, orthophosphate (Ortho-P) was the dominant molecular species of PP and positively correlated with soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) (p < 0.01). This suggested that the release of Ortho-P from suspended particulate matter (SPM) was the main source of SRP in the lake water. Pyrophosphate (Pyro-P), which is regarded as a highly labile species of P compounds, represented a large fraction of PP, and its significant positive correlations with chlorophyll a (Chl a), indicated that the concentration of Pyro-P could be used as an important indicator for the degree of eutrophication of Lake Taihu. These results proved that PP in lake water was a significant factor supporting lake eutrophication and must be controlled.

[Effects of Algal Blooms and Their Degradation on the Sediment-water Micro-interface].

Effects of algal blooms and their degradation on the sediment-water micro-interface under conditions of disturbance and darkness were investigated. The concentration of chlorophyll a in water was determined via the acetone method, profiles of oxygen near the interface were measured using a microelectrode, and profiles of nutrients and metals in sediments were measured at the millimeter level. The results showed that algal bloom degradation at the sediment-water micro-interface decreased the concentration of oxygen and affected nutrient and metal profiles, at depths over approximately 3 mm. Disturbance played an important role in algal bloom degradation and early diagenesis processes of nutrients, such as C and P, and metals, such as Fe, Ca, Mg, Al, and K. Darkness sped up algal bloom degradation and reduced the influence of disturbance. Under control conditions of no disturbance nor algae, and supplied with enough light, a layer of benthic algae appeared at the sediment surface, whose photosynthesis produced oxygen and greatly changed the microenvironment. This brought about significant differences in the concentrations of nearly all nutrients and metals in the surficial sediment compared with those of other treatments. Correlation analyses showed that the vertical variability of sediment P concentration was most strongly related to sediment Mn, followed by sediment C. The results of this high-resolution research showed that algal bloom degradation had an effect on the sediment-water micro-interface at the millimeter level.

Nitrate removal, spatiotemporal communities of denitrifiers and the importance of their genetic potential for denitrification in novel denitrifying bioreactors.

Nitrate treatment performance and denitrification activity were compared between denitrifying biological filters (DNBFs) based on dewatered alum sludge (DAS) and neutralized used acid (NUA). The spatiotemporal distribution of denitrifying genes and the genetic potential associated with denitrification activity and nitrate removal in both DNBFs were also evaluated. The removal efficiency of NUA-DNBF increased by 8% compared with that of DAS-DNBF, and the former NUA-DNBF emitted higher amount of N2O. Analysis of abundance and composition profiles showed that denitrifying gene patterns varied more or less in two matrices with different depths at three sampling times. Burkholderiales, Rhodocyclales, and Rhizobiales were the most commonly detected in both media during stable periods. Denitrification was determined by the abundance of specific genes or their ratios as revealed by controlling factors. The enhanced nitrate removal could be due to increasing qnosZ or decreasing ∑qnir/qnosZ. Furthermore, NUA-DNBF solely reduced nitrate by increasing the denitrification enzyme activity.

Long-term moderate wind induced sediment resuspension meeting phosphorus demand of phytoplankton in the large shallow eutrophic Lake Taihu.

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of sediment resuspension and phosphorus (P) release on phytoplankton growth under different kinds of wind-wave disturbance conditions in the large and shallow eutrophic Lake Taihu in China. Short-term strong wind (STSW) conditions, long-term moderate wind (LTMW) conditions, and static/calm conditions were investigated. To address this objective, we (1) monitored changes in surface water P composition during field-based sediment resuspension caused by STSW conditions in Lake Taihu, and also conducted (2) a series of laboratory-based sediment resuspension experiments to simulate LTMW and calm conditions. The results showed that under both strong and moderate wind-wave conditions, suspended solids (SS) and total phosphorus (TP) in the water column increased significantly, but total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) remained low throughout the experiments, indicating that the P released from sediments mainly existed in particulate forms. In STSW conditions, alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) and enzymatically hydrolysable phosphorus (EHP) increased rapidly, with the peak value occurring following the peak value of wind speed for 1-2 days, and then rapidly decreased after the wind stopped. Under LTMW conditions, APA and EHP increased steadily, and by the end of the laboratory experiments, APA increased by 11 times and EHP increased by 5 times. Chlorophyll a (Chl-a) in LTMW conditions increased significantly, but remained low under STSW conditions, demonstrating that the former type of sediment P release promoted phytoplankton growth more effectively, and the latter type did not. Despite the fact that STSW conditions resulted in the release of more TP, TP settled to the bottom rapidly with SS after the wind stopped, and did not promote algal growth. Under LTMW conditions, suspended particulate P was hydrolyzed to SRP by phosphatase and promoted algae growth. Algal growth in turn secreted more phosphatase and accelerated particulate P regeneration, which may be the main mechanism of sediment bio-available P release that promotes phytoplankton growth in shallow lakes.

Pyrosequencing analysis of free-living and attached bacterial communities in Meiliang Bay, Lake Taihu, a large eutrophic shallow lake in China.

To elucidate the relationship between particle-attached (PA, ≥ 5.0 µm) and free-living (FL, 0.2-5.0 µm) bacterial communities, samplings were collected seasonally from November 2011 to August 2012 in Meiliang Bay, Lake Taihu, China. We used 454 pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes to study bacterial diversity and structure of PA and FL communities. The analysis rendered 37,985 highly qualified reads, subsequently assigned to 1755 operational taxonomic units (97% similarity) for the 8 samples. Although 27 high-level taxonomic groups were obtained, the 3 dominant phyla (Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes) comprised about 75.9% and 82.4% of the PA and FL fractions, respectively. Overall, we found no significant differences between community types, as indicated by ANOSIM R statistics (R = 0.063, P > 0.05) and the Parsimony test (P = 0.222). Dynamics of bacterial communities were correlated with changes in concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS) and total phosphorus (TP). In summer, a significant taxonomic overlap in the 2 size fractions was observed when Cyanobacteria, a major contributor of TSS and TP, dominated in the water, highlighting the potential rapid exchange between PA and FL bacterial populations in large shallow eutrophic lakes.

Impact of fly ash and phosphatic rock on metal stabilization and bioavailability during sewage sludge vermicomposting.

Sewage sludge (SS) was mixed with different proportions of fly ash (FA) and phosphoric rock (PR), as passivators, and earthworms, Eisenia fetida, were introduced to allow vermicomposting. The earthworm growth rates, reproduction rates, and metal (except Zn and Cd) concentrations were significantly higher in the vermireactors containing FA and PR than in the treatments without passivators. The total organic carbon (TOC) and total metal concentrations in the mixtures decreased, and the mixtures were brought to approximately pH 7 during vermicomposting. There were significant differences in the decreases in the metal bioavailability factors (BFs) between the passivator and control treatments, and adding 20% FA (for Cu and Zn) or 20% PR (for Pb, Cd, and As) to the vermicompost were the most effective treatments for mitigating metal toxicity. The BF appeared to be dependent on TOC in the all treatments, but was not closely dependent on pH in the different vermibeds.

Biostabilization enhancement of heavy metals during the vermiremediation of sewage sludge with passivant.

The present study revealed the effects of fly ash (FA) and phosphoric rock (PR) on stabilization of sewage sludge (SS) after vermicomposting for 60 days. The earthworms in all vermibeds showed significant increases in tissue metal; however, the bioconcentration factors (BCFs) of all investigated metals (except Zn) differed among treatments. Additionally, significant differences were observed in the final system weight and SS+Passivant weight reduction among treatments, but not in the percentage reduction of total system weight and organic matter (OM). pH decreased from the initial levels, eventually reaching neutrality. Significantly greater earthworm heavy metals content, growth and reproduction rates and BCFs were observed, while a decreased percentage of total heavy metals concentration and a proportional decrease of extractable metals (except Cu and Zn) were observed in treatments mixed with FA and PR. Furthermore, significant linear correlations between BCFs and a reduction in percentage concentration of total metals (Cu, Pb, Cd and As) were shown, as well as BCF-Cu and relative proportional changes in extractable Cu. These results indicate that vermicomposting with proportions of FA and PR is better for stabilization and remediation of SS in a short period of time.

[Effects of wind-induced wave on organic aggregates physical and chemical characteristics in a shallow eutrophic lake (Lake Taihu) in China].

The physical and chemical characteristics were continually monitored during a wind course one time per day, which continued for 10 days, and other water physical and chemical parameters were concomitantly monitored. Organic aggregates (OA) abundance was significantly higher during wind period than calm stage and the maximum of OA abundance, which occurred the same day when wind speed was highest, was 29 times higher than that in the calm stage. Although OA-C, OA-N and OA-P concentration were decreased during wind period, the total C, N and P contend in OA were increased for the increased OA abundance. Additionally, suspended soil (SS), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentration during wind period were significantly higher than that of clam stage, but total dissolved phosphorus (TDP), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) were insignificantly different. During the wind, OA alkaline phosphatase activity (OA-APA) and OA enzymatically hydrolyzable phosphorus (OA-EHP) both increased significantly, which accelerated organic phosphorous mineralization and SRP release. The results indicate that SRP release induced by wind in shallow lakes may comes from suspended matter, especially OA release rather than directly comes from sediment.

DNA extraction procedure affects organic-aggregate-attached bacterial community profiles from a shallow eutrophic lake.

Organic aggregates (OA) in aquatic ecosystems harbour diverse microbial communities. The colonization and growth of OA-attached bacteria are important processes in the degradation and transformation of the particles. The development of efficient and comparative DNA extraction methods is one of the most critical steps in the study of the composition and diversity of OA-attached bacterial communities. To evaluate whether different DNA extraction procedures affect the measurement of bacterial community composition, we compared four in situ lysis procedures using OA from three locations in a shallow eutrophic lake (Lake Taihu, China). The extracted DNA was analyzed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiles. We found that the choice of DNA extraction protocol had a significant influence on the fingerprints of the OA-attached bacterial community. This was shown not only in the number of bands but also in their relative representation of certain DNA bands. Using the bead-beating DNA extraction method in the presence of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, we found that crude microbial DNA could be extracted efficiently from different OA types. This protocol is reproducible and gives very pure DNA of relatively high molecular mass. More importantly, the protocol provided more representative and informative data on the diversity of OA-attached bacterial communities.

Characterization of bacterial communities associated with organic aggregates in a large, shallow, eutrophic freshwater lake (Lake Taihu, China).

Although organic-aggregate-associated bacteria play a pivotal role in microbial food webs and in the cycling of major elements, their community composition and diversity have not been extensively studied, especially in shallow freshwater systems. This study is among the first to explore intra-lake horizontal heterogeneity of organic-aggregate-associated bacterial community composition (OABC) in the large, shallow, and eutrophic Lake Taihu. During November 2006, samples were collected at four locations representing different trophic states and food web structures. Regional variability of OABC and diversity were studied by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis and comparative analysis of four large 16S ribosomal RNA clone libraries. Our results demonstrate that OABC were numerically dominated by members of the beta-proteobacteria (19.2-38.6%), Bacteroidetes (3.6-20.0%), and alpha-proteobacteria (11.5-19.2%) groups. The dominance of the Bacteroidetes group was related to algae-based aggregates. Horizontal heterogeneity of OABC exists within habitats, suggesting that the trophic state of the water and the physicochemical properties of organic aggregates (OA) play a key role. Diverse bacterial communities found on OA were substantially different from free-living ones. Comparative statistical analyses of the habitats of OA-associated bacteria highlight the potential ecological importance of the exchange between OABC and the surrounding planktonic community. Lastly, we found at least 45% of sequences closely related to ones previously found in soils, sludge, sediments, and other habitats. This demonstrates that microorganisms from terrestrial and sediment habitats are an important component of OA.

[Effects of ecosystem structure on the organic aggregates physical and chemical parameters of Lake Taihu].

The abundance, organic matter content and chemical composition of organic aggregation (OA) were monitored in Lake Taihu in different ecotype sites from January to December in 2007, and other water physical and chemical parameters were concomitantly monitored. The OA abundance was increasing along regional and P-enrichment gradients, and there were significant differences in OA characteristic in different ecotypes. Moreover, wind is one important factor that contributes to OA characteristic in Lake Taihu. OA maybe one potential important nutrient source in lake water for its high enrichment factors of nutrition: the concentrations of P and N in the OA were much higher than that of in the water; more than one third (43.3%) of TP could be attributed to the OA-P, and that number of OA-N is 16.5%.